Negative air ions created by water shearing improve erythrocyte deformability and aerobic metabolism

To elucidate a potential mechanism by which negative air ions improve aerobic metabolism, changes in venous blood lactate levels, pH, erythrocyte deformability, and plasma superoxide dismutase activity and ceruloplasmin levels were examined during a 1-h exposure to negative air ions created by water shearing or corona discharge in nine adult healthy volunteers. The blood lactate level decreased from 1.3 +/- 0.3 to 1.0 +/- 0.2 mmol/l, pH increased from 7.388 +/- 0.025 to 7.417 +/- 0.036, and erythrocyte deformability improved from 37.0 +/- 2.2 to 35.1 +/- 3.0 s, expressed as the mean +/- s.d., when exposed to negative air ions created by water shearing, but did not change when exposed to negative air ions created by corona discharge. Other variables did not change in either exposure. The results obtained suggest that negative air ions created by water shearing improve aerobic metabolism by improving erythrocyte deformability. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The paper shows that negative air ions created by water shearing method improve aerobic metabolism only during a 1-h exposure, which may be caused by improvement of erythrocyte deformability, but negative air ions created by corona discharge have no effects. A potential mechanism is that negative air ions enter the circulating blood via the lungs and electrons of these ions are delivered to the plasma protein. Why negative air ions created by corona discharge have no effects is considered that water binding does not exist so that the lifetime of these ions is markedly short, by which the ions cannot reach the alveoli of the lungs sufficiently.     

The complexity of the Hajós calculus for planar graphs

The planar Hajós calculus is the Hajós calculus with the restriction that all the graphs that appear in the construction (including a final graph) must be planar. We prove that the planar Hajós calculus is polynomially bounded iff the Hajós calculus is polynomially bounded.     

X-Ray Microanalysis on the Surface and Cross-Section of burning-interrupted aluminum particle and foil in high pressure atmospheres

In order to deduce the burning characteristics of aluminum (Al) particle in solid propellant, a model experiment has been carried out with Al spheres of 3 mm ∼4 mm dia. in the oxidizing atmospheres at elevated pressures. As one of the investigation items, X-ray microanalysis for the burning-interrupted Al spheres was conducted along the straight lines crossing cap-like Al₂O₃ islands attached on unburned Al. It was clarified that, on the way of burning, in the case of Al sphere and plausibly on the burning surface of the particle also, there exist numerous Al₂O₃ islands, large and small, floating on molten Al sea; but even on the sea part, which seemed pure Al only, the surface is covered mostly with Al₂O₃ film. The similar analysis was applied to the Al foils ignited with Joule heating. It was witnessed, however, that contrary to the sphere surface there remains still neat Al in the vicinity of burning-interrupted surface. This fact may introduce low ignition temperature (933 K ∼ 963 K) and high deflagration velocity along the surface (for example. 2500 mm/s, with test piece of 0.11 mm thick, 5 mm wide; 8 MPaO₂ ) with Al foils.     

On the adhesion between Hydroxyl-Terminated Polybutadiene Fuel-Binder and Ammonium Perchlorate. Performance of bonding agents

A simple method to evaluate the adhesive force between solid oxidizer and polymeric fuel-binder is presented. As an illustration, hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) sticks including several different bonding agents are bonded on ammonium perchlorate (AP) single crystals, and stress-strain history until rupture occurs is obtained by applying uniaxial tensile stress perpendicularly to the adhesion surface. Further, whether each bonding agent reacts with AP or not was analysed with pursuing infrared absorption spectra. The hypothesis that the interfacial adhesive force arises from hydrogen bonding force is proposed.     

Increased heat shock protein expression after stress in Japanese quail

The health care received from first admission to a pediatric rheumatology clinic to 9-year follow-up was assessed in 109 patients with chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases or chronic idiopathic musculoskeletal pain. Ninety-five of the patients had received hospital care after the first admission, of whom 53 patients > or = 18 years, 21 patients < 18 years, and 33 parents of patients < 18 years rated their degree of satisfaction with the health care from 0 to 10. Mean scores of satisfaction with different aspects of care ranged from 6.0 to 9.6. Among patients > or = 18 years, those with idiopathic pain were less satisfied than those with inflammatory rheumatic diseases on the availability of care (mean 6.4 vs. 8.5, p < 0.001), continuity of care (mean 6.5 vs. 8.4, p < 0.001), and empathy of the health care providers (mean 6.7 vs. 7.9, p <0.05). The diagnostic group and the occurrence of remission predicted the level of global satisfaction in patients > or = 18 years. In patients < 18 years, chronic family difficulties predicted patient satisfaction and physical disability and chronic family difficulties predicted parent satisfaction. In conclusion, most parents and patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases were satisfied with the health care. However, some patients with idiopathic pain had unmet needs for care.     

400 Mbit/s transmission experiment using two monolithic optoelectronic chips

A successful optical transmission experiment at 400 Mbit/s was carried out with two OEIC modules over 4 km with an optical power margin of 4 dB. The modules with monolithic LD/driver and PIN/amp ICs were fabricated by a new technique to realise compactness and stability.     

2-Decenoic Acid Ethyl Ester, a Compound That Elicits Neurotrophin-like Intracellular Signals, Facilitating Functional Recovery from Cerebral Infarction in Mice

In our previous study, we found that trans-2-decenoic acid ethyl ester (DAEE), a derivative of a medium-chain fatty acid, elicits neurotrophin-like signals including the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) in cultured mouse cortical neurons. Here, we examined the efficacy of intraperitoneal administration of DAEE on the treatment of a mouse model of the cerebral infarction caused by unilateral permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (PMCAO). DAEE-treatment (100 μg/kg body weight injected at 0.5, 24, 48, 72 h after PMCAO) significantly restored the mice from PMCAO-induced neurological deficits including motor paralysis when evaluated 48, 72, and 96 h after the PMCAO. Furthermore, DAEE facilitated the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 on the infarction side of the brain when analyzed by Western immunoblot analysis, and it enhanced the number of phosphorylated ERK1/2-positive cells in the border areas between the infarction and non-infarction regions of the cerebral cortex, as estimated immunohistochemically. As the infarct volume remained unchanged after DAEE-treatment, it is more likely that DAEE improved the neurological condition through enhanced neuronal functions of the remaining neurons in the damaged areas rather than by maintaining neuronal survival. These results suggest that DAEE has a neuro-protective effect on cerebral infarction.     

Cytotoxic effect of endodontic bacteria on periapical fibroblasts

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of sonicated bacterial extracts (SBEs) from anaerobic Gram-negative bacteria on periapical fibroblast obtained from the apical portion of human periodontal ligaments. Porphyromonas endodontalis, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, and Fusobacterium nucleatum were chosen from among the endodontic bacteria isolated from root canals having a periapical lesion and compared in terms of their cytotoxicity. The purpose of this study was to examine which bacteria are involved in the development of periapical inflammation. The anaerobes were cultured under strict anaerobic conditions, and the bacterial cells were then harvested by centrifugation after incubation. The concentrated cell suspensions were sonicated and subsequently centrifuged. An SBE was made of each of the filtered supernatants. Each SBE was added to cultures of periapical fibroblasts. The cell growth and proliferation were measured by the MTT method after 3, 5, and 7 days. The SBEs from P. endodontalis, P. gingivalis, and F. nucleatum inhibited the growth of the fibroblasts, whereas the SBE from P. intermedia did not inhibit it. The SBEs from P. gingivalis and F. nucleatum inhibited the fibroblast growth more strongly than did the P. endodontalis, P. gingivalis, and F. nucleatum may participate in the development of periapical lesions.